Cleaner diesel fuel goes widely on sale in the United States this week under new standards that could be a big boost for air quality and may encourage the use of more diesel-powered cars in the US market.

A rule introduced this year requiring a 97 percent reduction in the sulfur content of highway diesel fuel phases in Sunday to an estimated 80 percent of the fuel sold in the United States.

The overall result is "the single greatest achievement in clean fuel since lead was removed from gasoline more than 25 years ago," says US Environmental Protection Agency chief Stephen Johnson.

"Diesel vehicles have always been 20 to 40 percent more energy efficient than comparable gasoline engines," said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, an industry group.

"With the switch to cleaner fuel, consumers will see more fuel-efficient diesel cars, pick-ups and SUVs (sport utility vehicles) on showroom floors in the years to come."

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I hope they do bring diesels to the Tacomas here in the US...if not for just the fuel economy.

Yes - with this new fuel there will be alot of problems with current diesels

I highly doubt they will bring a diesel Tacoma - I have contacted Mazda Canada and they mocked the idea of the B series trucks being brought here that are diesel. As for the fuel economy, the cost difference in fuel and initial cost of the auto make it not price effective. I use the example of the Duramax or the ever problem plagued Ford Power Stroke. With a cost difference of almost $10,000 Canadian (gas vs. diesel model) and diesel and gas around the same price (pennies different per litre) where are the savings? Not to mention the more costly repairs! Moreover, the trucks i use as an example the diesels do not actually get that awesome milage in diesel. It is hard to justify the cost perhaps after 300,000KM and 15 years later.

http://www.lemonaidcars.com/updates.html
Lemon-Aid doesn’t recommend diesel cars and new information supports our contention that they are a risky buy. Within a year, diesel fuel will be reformulated to burn more cleanly, as is the case with diesel fuel sold in Europe. Additionally, both Mercedes and VW are expected to re-engineer their diesel engines for the 2007 model year.
New fuel and new engines spell trouble—both from a reliability and servicing standpoint.
If diesel still “lights your fire,” wait for the arrival of the 2008 engines.
Anyway, smart money is going with ethanol/gasoline or ethanol engines presently used widely in Brazil. They will likely be sold in North America within the next decade.

Yes - with this new fuel there will be alot of problems with current diesels

I highly doubt they will bring a diesel Tacoma - I have contacted Mazda Canada and they mocked the idea of the B series trucks being brought here that are diesel. As for the fuel economy, the cost difference in fuel and initial cost of the auto make it not price effective. I use the example of the Duramax or the ever problem plagued Ford Power Stroke. With a cost difference of almost $10,000 Canadian (gas vs. diesel model) and diesel and gas around the same price (pennies different per litre) where are the savings? Not to mention the more costly repairs! Moreover, the trucks i use as an example the diesels do not actually get that awesome milage in diesel. It is hard to justify the cost perhaps after 300,000KM and 15 years later.

http://www.lemonaidcars.com/updates.html
Lemon-Aid doesn’t recommend diesel cars and new information supports our contention that they are a risky buy. Within a year, diesel fuel will be reformulated to burn more cleanly, as is the case with diesel fuel sold in Europe. Additionally, both Mercedes and VW are expected to re-engineer their diesel engines for the 2007 model year.
New fuel and new engines spell trouble—both from a reliability and servicing standpoint.
If diesel still “lights your fire,” wait for the arrival of the 2008 engines.
Anyway, smart money is going with ethanol/gasoline or ethanol engines presently used widely in Brazil. They will likely be sold in North America within the next decade.

Click to expand...

I completely disagree. The new diesel fuel makes it so that the next generation of diesel engines can meet the Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards (in other words - they will have the same emissions of a LEV gas engine!).

Combined with the new injection systems, higher injection pressures, exhaust after treatment systems, composite aluminum blocks, new casting/molding technologies, and lower compression ratios - the new diesels will be more economical, more powerful, and MUCH more eco-friendly.

The Duramax/PowerStroke argument does not hold its own weight. Those are oversized and unnecessary in the Tacoma market. I pray that the Toyota D4D engine makes it to the US before 2010. It would be an unstoppable seller, and an incredible engine for the Tacoma. The rest of world relies on the Toyota Hilux with its diesel engines for economy, durability and power. So why shouldn't we do the same?